Kela Walton, BSS Suzuki Early Childhood Music and Harp Instructor
What are Suzuki Early Childhood Music Classes? Are they related to the Suzuki Method?
Dr. Suzuki believed that a great window of opportunity in a child’s life is opened between birth and the age of three, and he encouraged Dorothy Jones to create a Suzuki Early Childhood Education curriculum. In this interactive music class children and parents sing fun action songs, act out rhymes, and play a variety of instruments while learning fundamental musical concepts. Just as importantly waiting for a turn, sharing, self-regulating emotions, and pre-reading skills are also developed by children in the class. All families are provided with a booklet and CD of songs from the class to listen to and sing at home.
Parents become excellent observers of their children as they watch them develop rhythmic and melodic awareness in addition to memory and social skills. Each class ends with parents journaling about their observations. Teachers help parents and children learn a repertoire of lullabies, songs, and rhymes during the class, then parents and children listen to the CD and sing with their children daily at home. In all areas of development children watch the actions of their parents and then gradually begin to imitate them. Much in the same way all parents around the world teach their children to speak and celebrate their children’s first words, the Suzuki method approaches music and early childhood education from a “Mother Tongue” philosophy. In every class teachers and parents celebrate the physical and musical milestones achieved by the children!